Did the Panini company have the right to use the image of professional football players for its famous thumbnails?
For Me Elie Dottelonde, the answer and no.
The Parisian lawyer represents five former footballers who went through Ligue 1, including a French international, in the case between them and Panini France.
According to our information, the ex-players sued the publishing house for moral prejudice related to the exploitation of their images in the famous albums of self-adhesive stickers.
They claim between 50,000 and 500,000 euros in damages.
The problem according to Me Elie Dottelonde is the charter of professional football.
Recognized by the UNFP, the footballers union, it allows the latter to use the images of the players from the moment when, on the medium (Panini, FIFA…), there are several and come from different clubs.
“It means that neither the player nor the club have a say in this exploitation and cannot profit from it, explains the lawyer.
However, the players never authorized either Panini or the UNFP to use their image.
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When contacted, the company Panini France said it was “calm on the matter.
"If we speak in terms of rights, we consider that the UNFP acts within an established legal framework, with the agreement of the social partners", reacts Me Emmanuel Ronco, one of the lawyers of the UNFP.
